Mountain dragon

Mountain dragon
Mountain Dragon
Mountain Dragon, Rankinia diemensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Agamidae
Subfamily: Agaminae
Genus: Rankinia
Species: R. diemensis
Binomial name
Rankinia diemensis
(Gray)
Synonyms

Tympanocryptis diemensis, Amphibolurus diemensis

The Mountain Dragon (Rankinia diemensis) is an agamid, or dragon lizard, endemic to Australia. It occurs in the uplands of New South Wales and Victoria, as well as in Tasmania where it is the only native agamid. Mountain dragons are found in dry woodlands and heaths with access to open areas for sunning themselves. They are oviparous and feed on ants and other small invertebrates.[1][2]

They do not climb very high, relying instead on camouflage to evade predators.[3]

Description

Overall colour is grey to reddish brown, with two rows of lighter coloured paravertebral stripes or blotches running down their back. These stripes are deeply scalloped, so that they appear like two series of blotches. They have a cream coloured belly. Individuals can grow up to 20 cm in length, although the average length is somewhat smaller, with females typically growing larger than males. They have a row of enlarged spinose (spikey) scales on each side of the tail-base. Mountain dragons appear similar to the Jacky Dragon, but can be much redder, and the inside of its mouth is blue (compared to the yellow of the Jacky Dragon).[3]

References

  1. ^ TPWS: Wildlife of Tasmania – Mountain Dragon
  2. ^ Cogger, H.G. (1979). Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Reed: Sydney. ISBN 0-589-50108-9
  3. ^ a b Griffiths, Ken (1987). Reptiles of the Sydney Region. Three Sisters Publications Pty Ltd. p. 50. ISBN 0-9590203-3-0. 


This lizard from family Agamidae article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.